Swoon-worthy vegan nachos with cashew queso

Nothing says messy indulgence like a gargantuan pile of vegan nachos. Every bite brings a different flavor – cashew queso, spicy seitan, black beans, chunks of ripe avocado, the peppery bite of jalapeño… And as if that wasn’t enough, you have the variety of textures – crunchy, creamy, and chewy to take the experience up another notch.

Very often when I share a picture of the pile of nachos I’m having for dinner on Instagram or Facebook, I get questions about the various toppings. So I start linking in the comments – the queso from here, the beans from there, the seitan from there… With Cinco de Mayo festivities just around the corner, it was time to put my favorite swoon-worthy vegan nachos all together in one place – no cacophony of linking necessary.

N.N.T.C. – No naked tortilla chips

The key to perfect nachos is in the layers. You don’t want a huge pile of tortilla chips on bottom, and then all the toppings blanketing them. That’s a sure fire way to end up with sad and soggy chips on an empty platter when all is said and done. No one wants that.

So remember the layers – cashew queso, seitan chorizo & beans, chopped fresh vegetables… And then start all over with another layer of chips, seitan chorizo & beans, and so on and so forth. Continue adding like some kind of geological dig in reverse until you have a mountain of nachos to ascend.

Creamy cashew queso

I’ve been making a version of this creamy cashew queso for years. The cashews give the sauce the kind of full-bodied fattiness you really want in your vegan cheese. I’ve drizzled it over breakfast nachos, and most recently it was a topping on my chili cheese tater tots.

There’s just one recent change. Lately I’ve been adding a steamed carrot to the mix. The carrot doesn’t add a lot in terms of flavor, but it does mean you’re squeezing in an extra vegetable at dinnertime. Plus, it gives the queso a very pleasing pop of orange. If you don’t have a carrot on hand, no worries. The cashew queso is every bit as good without it.

Seitan chorizo & black beans

For the beany & meaty portion of the nachos, I’m using Upton’s Naturals chorizo seitan, black beans, and spices. There are loads of seitan chorizo options out there. So feel free to get whatever you prefer.

As always, I reach for ancho chile powder whenever I’m making something Mexican-inspired. Unlike chili powder blends, which are common in many a pantry, ancho chile powder is simply ground ancho chiles. (Ancho chiles are poblano peppers that have been dried.) Many run-of-the-mill chili powder blends include cayenne. So people are often surprised to find that ancho chile powder is flavorful, but not hot. It’s a kitchen essential as far as I’m concerned. But if you don’t have it, go with whatever chili powder you have on hand.

All of the vegetables

Finally, I like to fill out my nachos with chopped onion, cilantro, jalapeño pepper slices, and dashes of hot sauce. This time around I added chunks of fresh avocado, but of course, guacamole would also work beautifully here. For an even more heavily loaded platter of nachos, consider adding dollops of refried beans, black olives, or non-dairy sour cream.

Transfer the cashew mixture to the empty pot you used for steaming the carrot. Bring the pot to a medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring for about 10 minutes. If it begins to simmer, lower the heat. Continue stirring and cooking until the cashew mixture has reduced and thickened, making a velvety smooth queso. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make chorizo & black beans

Bring a non-stick skillet to a medium heat with organic canola oil. Put the crumbled seitan into the skillet and brown for a few minutes.

Add black beans to skillet with paprika, cumin, ancho chile powder, 1 Tablespoon of water, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the spices are fully combined and the beans are warm. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make nachos

The best nachos are made in layers. Put one layer of tortilla chips on a large platter. Top with a smattering of creamy cashew queso, chorizo & black beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and avocado. Add another layer of chips and all of the above. Continue layering the chips & toppings until you have a beautiful mound of vegan nachos.

Serve right away with plenty of napkins, pickled jalapeño slices, and hot sauce.

Cuisine: Mexican |Recipe Type: Appetizer

Notes

*If you don't have a high speed blender, soak the raw cashews for several hours ahead of time, so that you can have a perfectly creamy queso. If you have a high speed blender, soaking isn't necessary.

**I use a bouillon cube with no salt added. If yours already has salt, you may not need any additional.

Comments

Oh my gosh, another addition for our queso party!! Yay! And, there is nothing worse than getting to those middle chips and all the toppings are gone!! NICE layering my friend! Why isn't this standard?! :)

Yes, we've got a bad case of the Quesos! Ha! There must be something cheesy in the air. I'm glad we're in agreement about the sad state of affairs when you're only left with a plate of limp & soggy chips. That's the worst!

Thanks, Shell! About the carrots, I figure if I can sneak in another vegetable, why not do it? Plus, the extra orange color makes for an inviting queso. People put all kinds of things in their vegan cheese sauces like butternut squash and sweet potato.
Yes, you could use the air fryer to make chips! I have made chips out of flour tortillas and used them as a scooping device for hummus.
I haven't made them yet with corn tortillas, a spritz of oil, and salt for more traditional tortilla chips. However, I know it can be done!

Thanks, Mary Ellen! You, Jenn, and I had queso on the brain last week. There must have been something cheesy in the air. I'm glad you like the seahorse pitcher! I got it at Pier 1. It was part of their summer collection, and I stalked it in the clearance section until it went so low in price, I couldn't refuse. :D

Those are seriously swoon-worthy, Cadry! That queso looks so good and I love the idea of adding steamed carrots to it for some more sneaky vegetable goodness. I'm going to be having some of these nachos this weekend. Thanks for the recipe!

Since Taco Tuesday is a think, I think we should work on making Nacho Night a thing. I have just about everything from this recipe on hand, including the ancho chile powder (because you recommended it a few years ago!), so this is definitely happening!